Majd says he got the job in part because his “credentials” showed him to be “an apparently trustworthy Iranian.” No kidding.

When I say it’s worth reading this one in full, I mean it. The account of 500 filthy, bottom-feeding fundamentalists meeting in the most cosmopolitan city in the world is stomach-turning. But here’s the can’t-miss. Imagine the propaganda value we could have wrung from this:

The following morning, Mr. Ahmadinejad held a 7:30 a.m. breakfast meeting, again at his hotel, with American academics and journalists. Earlier, he had expressed some interest in having Michael Moore attend, and although attempts were made to reach him (even by myself, since I was asked), they were unsuccessful.

More:

“Let me explain a few points,” Mr. Ahmadinejad continued. “One gentleman said the situation between America and Iran has gotten worse. No. It’s not worse than last year; it’s better. Better.

“Last year,” he said, “we were under serious threats—military threats. Today, at the very worst, it’s economic threats, and even that—well, I don’t really want to say, but for those who would like to pursue them, the situation is not conducive …. Even though there are those in America who would like to put pressure on Iran, they won’t be able to. We’ve really progressed…”

President Ahmadinejad, apparently satisfied that he had convinced everyone that Iran was strong, moved on to the question of Iran’s nuclear program. “If, God forbid—God forbid—we budge on this issue, they’ll next say, ‘You have to give up your chemistry departments in your universities, and your physics departments too.’ Then even the medical schools.” The president’s tone wasn’t bombastic; if anything, it was very matter-of-fact. “It’s clear that they don’t want us to progress,” he said. “Of course, not all Americans—Americans are good people.

“Two thousand Zionists want to rule the world. You can do it elsewhere,” he said, as if speaking directly to the mysterious 2,000, “but not in Iran. It’s impossible—it’s not doable.”

Here’s the all-too-revealing conclusion: “The Iranians streamed out onto Sixth Avenue after an evening of celebrating Iran, its president and their own Iranian-ness, New Yorkers once again. Until another visit from Mr. Ahmadinejad, that is.”

Jalal Talabani told a reporter today the real reason he wants U.S. troops in Iraq. Hint: it has nothing to do with Al Qaeda.

Update: Who leveled this none-too-veiled criticism at Iran yesterday at the UN?

The ideology of power can go so far as to regard the possession of nuclear weapons as an element of national pride, and it does not exclude the outrageous possibility of employing nuclear weapons against its adversaries.